The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-06-24


previous night.
"Hulloa, DOLL good-morning
"Good-morning, Ernest" she answered,
rather coldly. 81 have been keeping your tea
as warm as can, but I'm afraid it Is getting
cold"
"You are a good Samaritan, Doll I've got
such head Perhaps the tea will make it
better"
She smiled as she gave it to him; had she
spoken what was in her mind she would have
answered that she had such heart"
He drank the tea, and apparently felt bet
ter for it, for presently he asked her, in COM
paratively cheerful tones, how she liked the
dance.
"Oh, very well, thank you, Ernest; how did
you like iti"
"Oh, awfully. say, DOLL"
"Yes, Ernest"
"Isnt she lovelyp
"Wbo, Ernestl'
"Whoi Why Eva Ceswick, of course.p
ayes, Ernest, she is very lovely"
There was something about her tone that
was not encouraging; at any rate, he did not
| pursue the subject
"Where is Jeremyl" he asked next.
ale has gone out"
Presently, Ernest, having finished his sec
ond cup of tea, went out too, and came across
Jeremy incoming about the yard
"Hunoa, my hearty and how are you after
your dissipationsp
"All right, thank you," answered Jeremy,
sulkily.
Ernest glanced up quickly. The voice was
the voice Of Jeremy, but the tones were not
his tones
"What is up, old chap f' he said, slipping
his arm through his friends
"Nothing."
"Oh, yes, there is, though. What Is it
| Out with it. l am a splendid father con
fessor."
Jeremy freed his arm, and remained sulkiei
than ever. Ernest looked hurt, and the look
Boftened the other.
"Well, of course, IL you won't tell me, there
is nothing more to be said," and he prepared
to move off
"As though you didn't knowln
"Upon my honor, l don't"
"Then if you'll come here l will tell you, ,"
and Jeremy opened the door of the little out
house where he stuffed his birds and kept his
gun and collection of eggs and butterflies,
and motioned Ernest majestically in
He entered and seated himself upon the
stufing table, gazing abstractedly at n bit
tern that Jeremy had shot about the time that
this story opened, and which was now very
moth eaten, and waved one melancholy leg
i'll the air in n way meant to be imposing, but
only succeeding in becoming grotesque.
"Wel, what is itf' he interrogated Of the
CLASSY eye of the decaying bittern.
Jeremy turned his broad back upon him;
he felt that no could speak better on such q
subject with his back turned, and, addressing
empty space before him, said:
IL think it was precious unkind OF you"
What was precious unkindT
"rO 60 and cut me out Of the only girr-
~ ever loved" suggested Ernest, for he
was hesitating.
81 ever loved" chimed in Jeremy; the
phrase expressed his sentiments exactly.
"Well, old chap, if you would come to the
point little more, and tell me who the deuce
you are talking about
"Why, who should l be talking about
There is only one girl"-
"You ever loved"
II ever loved"
"Well, in the name Of the holy Roman EN-
pire, who is she"
"Why, Eva Ceswick."
Ernest whistled. N say, old chap" h,
said, af ter pause, "why didn't you tell me
/ didn't even know that you knew her. AR
you engaged to her, thenP
Engaged! No."
"Well, then, have you an understanding
with herl"
"No, of course not"
"Look here, old fellow, If you would jus
slew round bit and tell me how the matte
stands, we might get on n little"
at doesn't stand at all, butt worship tn
ground she treads on; there"
"Ah," said Ernest, "that's awkward, for S
do lat least think do"
Jeremy groaned, and Ernest groaned too b.
way of company.
"Look here, old chap" said the latter
"what is to be donel You should have toll
me, but you didn't, you see. II you had,
would have kept clear. Fact is, she bowle
me over altogether, bowled me Clean"
$50 she did me-"
"I'll tell you what, Jeremy; I'll go ava
and leave you to make the running. Not tina
see that there is much good in either of u
making the running, for we have nothing t
marry on, and no more has She"
"And we are only 81. One can't marry a
2l," put in Jeremy, "or one would have
large family by the time ones 3O Fellow
who marry at q always do"
"She's 2l; she told me So"
"She told me, too, said Jeremy, determine
to show that Ernest was not the only perso
favored with this exciting fact.
"Well, shall cleari We can't jaw about
forever"
"No,n said Jeremy slowly and in wa
that showed that it cost him an effort to sa
it, "that would not be fair; besides | expeC
that the mischief is done; everybody gel
fond of you, old chap, men or women. NJ
you shan't go, and we won't get TO logge
heads over it, either. I'll tell you what W
will dove will toss up"
This struck Ernest as a brilliant suggestion
"Right you are" he said, at once producin
shilling; shingles or threesr
"Singles Of course it's sooner over"
Ernest poised the coin on his thumb.
"You call. But, l sayl What are we tos
ing forl We can't draw lots for the girl lii
the fellows in Homer. We haven't capture
her yet"
This was obviously point that require
consideration. Jeremy scratched his head.
slow Will this dof" he said. "The vim,
TO have month TO make the running in, Il
loser not to interfere. If she won't have an
thing to say to him after month, then Il
loser to have his fling. If she will, loser
keep clear"
"That will do Stand clear; up you CO."
The shilling spun into the air.
"Tailsn howled Jeremy.
1t lit ON the beak OF the astonished bitter
and bounded Off on to the floor, finally rollir
under box full Of choice specimens of d
petrifed bones of antediluvian animals th
had been washed out of the cliffs. The b,
had been lugged out of the way with dii
Guilty, and the shilling disclosed.
"Heads it isl" said Ernest exultingly.
~ expected as much; just my luck We
shake hands, Ernest. We won't quar-
about the girl, please God"
They shook hands heartily enough al
parted; but from that time for many lol
day there was an invisible something betwe
them that had not been there before. Stron
indeed, must be the friendship Of which t
bonds do not slacken when the shadow OF
womans love falls upon 1t.
That afternoon Dorothy said that S
wanted to go into Kesterwick to make sol
purchases, and Ernest offered to accompal
her. They walked in silence as far as It'll
burgh Abbey; indeed they both suffer
from a curious constraint that seemed TO
fectually check their usual hrother-and-s
terlike relations. Ernest was just beginni
to feel the silence awkward when Dorot
stopped.
@What was thatfD she said. II thought
heard somebody cry out"
They listened, and presently both heard
woman's voice calling for help. The sou
seemed to come from the cliff on their le
They stepped TO the edge and looked ov
As the reader may remember, some tween
feet from the top OF Ne cliff and fifty
more from the bottom, there was at this 81
a sandy ledge, ON which were deposited ma
Of the remains washed out of the ehurchya
by the sea. Now this particular spot "